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Netflix Shows Commercials, Claims They're Not Commercials

Did your binge get interrupted with a "recommendation?"

MaryAnn Sleasman

Netflix doesn't want us to call commercials "commercials."

The very foundations of the internet shook this weekend when users on Reddit reported that Netflix dared whisper the dreaded C-word.

No, not that one. The other one.

No, the OTHER other one.

Users reported that their beloved binges were interrupted by commercials between episodes for Netflix content that could, theoretically, interest an individual based on the mighty algorithm that runs the streaming service and the world and will one day surely turn us all into Cybermen. Some users also reported that the commercials couldn't be skipped.

Panic ensued.

After all, what's the point of paying for a streaming service if you still have to sit through the ads you were trying to avoid by, you know, paying for a streaming service. What is this, Hulu?

(Yeah, yeah, Hulu has an ad-free option for extra $$$. My point still stands.)

Become Your Favorite Netflix Character with New and Improved Profile Icons

Anyway, in an attempt to set the record straight and quiet that talk of totally getting your dad to cancel the account you've been mooching off of for the last five years, Netflix clarified that the interruptions were not commercials, thank you very much, they're just recommendations, catering to individuals based on their viewing history.

Idk, sounds like commercials to me. But hey, tomayto, tomahto.

According to CNN Money, Netflix says the ads are skippable and are just a test of a new way of recommending content to users. They're not being shown to all users and may not go into wide use. It all depends on what the almighty algorithm says.

But if you don't want to risk ever seeing an ad, Comicbook.com points out that there's a way to opt out. Go to Netflix on desktop or tablet and click on your profile icon at the top right corner of the page. Click "account," scroll to "Settings," click "Test Participation," and set the button to "Off." Then bada bing, bada boom, no more ads interrupting your annual Office binge.